Nostalgia Time: Rewatching Saved by the Bell

     If you are like me, a twenty-something female who watched TV when you were younger, then you know about the greatness that is Saved by the Bell.  Made in the late 80's and early 90's, the show has pretty much been in constant syndication for the past twenty years.  Well, in a fit of nostalgia, I purchased all seasons of the show on DVD, and my sister and I have been binge-watching it for the past several nights.  It has definitely brought out feelings that you only feel when you are young, before you've lived a little bit of life.  When you are in high school, every little thing that happens to you feels like the end of the world, but like the students at Bayside, you realize that life goes on, and your true friends will be there for you no matter what.
     Apart from the crazy fashions the teens were rocking, a lot of the storylines leave a lot to be desired these days.  From Jessie getting hooked on caffeine pills so she can stay awake to study to Zack's fear of having knee surgery, these days teenagers are facing much bigger problems than having to sell buddy bands for a class project.  However, if you look at the deeper meaning behind the episodes, you find lessons that are still relevant today.  By watching Saved by the Bell, you learn that telling the truth is always the best policy, or that sometimes in life people will let you down.  You also learn that your friends will be there for you no matter what, even if they are like Zack and try to make money off of you at every turn.  You learn that your true friends will tell you the truth about yourself, like when you need to act like an adult and let your dad remarry or not be superficial just because a zit cream turned your face beet red.  Your friends will love you even when you make a fool of yourself, or when you act like a jerk as so many teenagers do.  In today's world of high schoolers having sex with each other at the drop of a hat, and teen drinking as rampant as if it isn't even illegal, it's very refreshing to go back to a simpler time when there was "no hope with dope" and drunk driving was looked at as the horrible decision it really is.  Friends quit being your friends because of the stupidest things these days.  Everyone is looking out for themselves, but in Saved by the Bell, they stick by each other's sides through thick and thin.  The world might be a better place if everyone had to watch Saved by the Bell.
     Now that I am getting off my soap box, let's get to the best part of Saved by the Bell--Zack and Kelly.  Before there even was such a thing, Zack and Kelly was the first relationship many girls "shipped".  Zack was the adorable blonde who always had a trick up his sleeve, and he didn't really take anything seriously.  Zack had his eyes on Kelly from the very beginning, and when they finally started "going steady", girls across the country found a couple they could root for.  Kelly was everybody's favorite girl next door who was as nice as they come.  You fall in love with the couple all over again, especially when Zack throws Kelly her own prom since she can't afford to go to the real one, or when he bonds with Kelly's baby brother when he has to babysit one day.  Despite Kelly dumping Zack for that jerk, Jeff, they eventually reunite and get married sometime after The College Years, giving young girls hope of true love conquering all.  Even re-watching the show now, I worry about if Zack and Kelly are going to make it through Kelly's modeling days in Paris or Zack's always being in trouble for some scheme he cooked up, but I know their love survives it all.  You also had Jessie and Slater, whose sexy back and forth banter made them another couple to root for.  They always gave each other a hard time about his being a male chauvinist pig or her being a neurotic feminist, but they still loved each other in spite of their differences, and they heated up the screen for viewers everywhere.
     Sure, if you go into the show with the cynicism that plagues so many of us today, you will laugh at the childishness and innocence of what the teens at Bayside High go through.  It's hard to worry too much about Lisa having to sell her wardrobe because of a $300 charge on her daddy's credit card when today's kids are more materialistic than ever.  When kids are getting brand new cars as soon as they turn sixteen, it doesn't sink in for them that there is a big responsibility when it comes to driving a car, or repairing one when you crash the principal's.  Even when Zack is playing pranks or getting in trouble, he always has good manners, and says "yes sir" and "no ma'am".  However, if you go into the show with an open mind, you will fall in love with these kids all over again or for the first time.  You will cry when Jessie admits how scared she is of the future.  You will cheer the kids on as they defeat the evil oil man.  You will wish that you had a cool high school band of your friends like Zack Attack or Hot Sundae.  You will find Mr. Belding endearing when he fills in for his reckless brother to take the kids on their white water rafting trip.  You will become obsessed with Zack, Kelly, Slater, Jessie, Lisa, and Screech just like so many of us did all those years ago.

They Just Don't Make 'Em Like That Anymore: Clark Kent from Smallville

     I'm aware that the title of this post makes me sound like a cranky old person, and I don't care.  I am also aware that Smallville has been over for almost a year.  Lucky for me, though, I have a sister who has wanted to watch the show for a long time.  After saving her money, she purchased the complete series set of DVDs.  That's ten seasons, people, so we've got our evenings planned for several weeks to come.  We are now almost done with season two, and the process has been very enjoyable so far. 
     Smallville, for those of you who don't know, is a show about Clark Kent as he's a teenager and young adult.  I realize that since it's a show about a superhero it's not exactly the most realistic portrayal of life.  Of course I know this.  That's why I'm watching TV.  Anyway, let's talk about the adorable Clark Kent for a few minutes.
     Clark Kent is played by the sexy yet puppy-like Tom Welling.  He looks exactly like what you would think young Clark Kent would look like.  He lives with his parents (adopted, obviously, since he's from the planet Krypton) on a farm in Kansas. 
     This may make me sound like an innocent, wide-eyed little girl, but where is the real-life Clark Kent?  When I ask this question, this is what I'm looking for.  Clark Kent is a good kid.  I didn't even know those existed anymore.  He is respectful and obedient to his parents who have taught him to be a compassionate and honest person.  He stands up for those who can not stand up for themselves.  He almost always does the right thing, and he doesn't expect recognition for it.  He's a hard worker.  He gladly helps his parents out on the farm, using his powers to do a lot of the heavy lifting.  He's polite.  He doesn't use his powers to take advantage of others (unless he's under the influence of red Krypton, of course).  He doesn't use his X-ray vision to check out girls.  He's also a good friend.  He defends his friends and family however he can.
     I'm not saying that there are no more good people left in the world today.  However, rarely will you find someone (especially young people) do good for others without looking for some kind of reward or recognition.  Most people only look out for themselves and want to know what you can do for them.  I just wish there were a few more Clark Kents out there, and I hope I can have some of his positive characteristics. 

Songs I Love: "Dream" by Priscilla Ahn

     I get most of my new music from TV shows or movies, and this one is no different.  I know this song has been used on TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill, but when I hear it, it only makes me think of one thing: Bride Wars.  Bride Wars was hated by pretty much everyone, but it is a favorite in my household.  It has been watched so many times that I can recite just about all the dialogue with my sister.  The scene this song is played in always makes me burst into tears.
     "Dream" by Priscilla Ahn is a very romantic sounding, lovely song.  When played in the movie, it serves to emphasize the rift that has developed between Emma and Rachel, life-long friends whose wedding drama has caused them to become enemies. 
     If you've never heard this song, listen to it immediately.  It's beautiful, and I love how romantic and nostalgic it makes me feel.

Growing up with One Tree Hill

     On January 11th, a big part of my life will start to come to a close.  One Tree Hill will premiere its ninth and final season.  Usually on the bubble at cancellation time, but having a very loyal fan base, OTH will leave Supernatural as the last remaining show from the WB network.  Having grown up watching  such WB classics as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Roswell, Felicity, Gilmore Girls, and Dawson's Creek (This could go on forever.), the ending of One Tree Hill is a very sad time for me.  OTH took me from my senior year of high school to my mid-twenties, so I really do feel like I've grown up with each of the characters.
     In many ways, One Tree Hill was like most of the other teen-oriented shows of the time.  OTH just had something extra, something intangible that helped it stay on-air for nine seasons.  It must be what Karen said in the season 1 finale when she told Lucas, "There's only one Tree Hill, and it's your home."  Most high school shows floundered in the post-high school years, but OTH took a different route.  After graduating high school in season four, OTH did something crazy and skipped the college years, picking up four years after high school, slowly filling in the blanks as to what the characters had been up to during the break.  This added to me feeling like I grew up with Haley, Nathan, Brooke, Lucas, and Peyton.  Instead of having actors play characters younger than they really are, they were playing characters who were now closer to their real ages.

      I'm going to take this opportunity to tell you some of my favorite moments from One Tree Hill.  The episode that is obviously at the top of the list to me is "With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept", episode 3.16.  Known as the school shooting episode, this episode brought grace, integrity, and emotion to a topic that could have come off as tacky, while also advancing the storyline of the show.  Jimmy, a boy who was once friends with the Rivercourt guys, comes to school with a gun.  He can no longer face being ignored and being mistreated after his thoughts on the time capsule, and he ultimately takes his own life.  Dan Scott of course takes the opportunity from this tragedy to kill his brother, Keith.  OTH is known for the music it uses throughout the episodes, but this one used only one song, "God Bless the Child" by Michelle Featherstone.  All of the actors do such a great job in this episode, and, if you can watch it without crying, you should check your pulse.

     The episode that probably gets watched the most at my house is also from season 3.  It's episode 20, "Everyday Is a Sunday Evening".  I like to think of this as the Nathan episode because he takes Lucas' place as the usual narrator, and he totally owns this episode.  Having said that, it also features a heavy Peyton/Jake storyline.  I usually fast forward through these parts because I wasn't a big Peyton fan until seasons five and six.  Anyway, back to Nathan.  He carries the Ravens during a basketball tournament since Lucas is no longer playing after Keith's death.  This episode is very Naley heavy, and it does a great job of showing how these two have always got each other's backs.  My favorite song from the episode is "Unsatisfied" by the Nine Black Alps, played as Nathan makes the winning free throw...without even looking at the basket.  Love it!
     Season 3 was one of my favorite seasons, and this next one is from the same season.  Episode 13 "The Wind That Blew My Heart Away" takes place during a storm in Tree Hill.  Couples are fighting and making up, families are connecting, and relationships are taken to a higher level.  Haley and Nathan have spent the beginning of season 3 trying to make their relationship stronger after the hard times in season 2.  Lucas is trying to show Brooke that she can trust him again.  Keith and Karen are in love.  Peyton is connecting with her sick birth mother, and Mouth and Rachel are exploring their relationship.  It's a good one, and helping to set the tone is Tyler Hilton singing "Missing You".

     It has taken me some time to come to terms with the new characters on OTH.  Peyton and Lucas left after season 6, and new characters were brought in to sort of reinvigorate the show.  It was hard to sympathize with characters that hadn't been around as long as some of the others, so not many of my favorite moments come after season 6.  There is one episode from season 8 that takes me back to the good old days for some reason.  Episode 11, "Darkness on the Edge of Town" was the mid-season finale, and it takes place during a hurricane.  Lives are in danger, old enemies resurface, but all's well that ends well in Tree Hill.
     Season 5 was also a season with many changes with the jump from high school graduation to post-college life.  I have love/hate feelings towards it, but one of my favorite episodes is episode 9, "For Tonight You're Only Here to Know".  The girls (including newbies Mia and Lindsey) get locked in the Tree Hill High library the night of the first Ravens game of the season.  I love when the team walks out to the floor (with Jamie Scott in uniform too!) to Lenny Kravitz's "Bring It On".  Feelings are hurt, and some friendships are tested.  Also, Mouth gets a big break but can't decide how to portray his story.  Every time I watch this episode I start to cry when the characters start singing Kate Voegele's "Wish You Were".

     I've already mentioned some of OTH's songs above, but there are so many more that I would only have discovered by watching One Tree Hill.  It may not be the cool thing, but I'm mostly a country music fan, so OTH's playlist has helped me expand my horizons.  There is no way I could just choose one as my favorite, but here are a few that arguably make the cut.  From one of my favorite episodes, 3.13, is "Here Comes a Regular" by Paul Westerberg played as Peyton's birth mother dies...so sad.  From the good old days of the season 1 episode "Every Night Is Another Story" is the song "Headlights" by Dispatch.  One Tree Hill mostly plays new and current music, but every once in a while they know how to use the classic songs like they did in the season 6 finale with the Marshall Tucker Band's "Can't You See", played at the end of the episode when everyone's dreams are coming true. Another favorite is Matt Nathanson's "Wedding Dress" played during the episode of Lucas and Peyton's wedding.  There's just so much good music on this show.

     Although I call myself a loyal fan, sometimes I question the people writing these episodes.  More often than not, however, the episodes are quotable, and they speak truths that are relatable to most people.  Here are some of my favorite lines or speeches through the years.  First is this one from Haley as she officiates Lucas and Peyton's wedding: "I believe in true love.  I believe in love at first sight.  I believe love conquers all, and that doesn't mean there's not gonna be hard days or difficult things to deal with, because there will be, but finding that person who does it for you and knowing that that person loves you back just makes everything so much easier."  This next one comes from Brooke as she and Peyton try to get their lives back to normal after the attack by Derek/Ian: "You have a friend that's gonna tell you that life kicks you around sometimes.  It scares you, and it beats you up, but there's a day that you realize that you're not just a survivor, you're a warrior.  You're tougher than anything it throws your way."  I'm following that one with another Brooke quote from Nathan and Haley's wedding reception: "'Love is not love that alters when it alteration finds.'  When life gets hard, when things change, true love remains the same.  We can all use a little hope sometimes, ya know?  That feeling that everything is gonna be okay and that someone is there to help make sure of that.  Here's to al love that will not alter."  I'll end some of my favorite quotes with one from Lucas: "Truth is still absolute.  Believe that.  Even when that truth is hard and cold, and more painful than you're ever imagined.  And even when truth is more cruel than any lie."
     In closing, I just want to say thank you to One Tree Hill. You've made me laugh, and you've made me cry.  You've made me angry, and you've made me wish summer would end so that a new season would begin.  You've been something that I look forward to, and you've introduced me to characters and people that I can look up to.  You've been wonderful, and I'll miss you when you're gone.  I'll still have the DVDs to look forward to when I'm needing my OTH fix.  I can't wait for the final season to begin even though I know that only brings the ending that much closer.  Goodbye, Tree Hill.  I'm sure I won't be the only one to miss you. 

At the Movies: Mission Impossible- Ghost Protocol

     Fun, fun, fun!!  That's what the latest installment of the Ethan Hunt series has in store for you.  Now, I'm not a Mission Impossible expert.  To my knowledge, I had only seen the first one before going to see the new one two nights ago.  I'm also not really a Tom Cruise fan (I type as I think about the number of his DVDs that I have).  You don't really have to be one though to enjoy this Christmas blockbuster.  As I may have said before, something about Christmas-time gets me in movie-going mode.  Actually, anytime gets me in movie-going mode.  You also don't have to bone up on your Mission Impossible trivia to have fun with this flick.
     There was much hype before the movie about Tom Cruise doing his own stunts, specifically the one involving that really, really tall building.  I thought I probably wouldn't enjoy that scene since it's been featured heavily in almost all of the previews and commercials.  Surprisingly, I did!  It kept me on the edge of my seat.  It made me laugh.  It made me nervous.  It was everything I wanted it to be.  A lot of the stunts in this are done well.  There's lots of fight scenes and things like that.  A lot (okay, most) of the scenes are a little over-the-top, but that's part of what makes it fun.  That's part of what makes movies so enjoyable.  Many times you just want to escape to a place where insane, fun things can happen.
     Simon Pegg obviously plays a large part in the comedic relief of the picture, but the other actors and actresses get their jokes in as well.  Jeremy Renner (who pretty much steals the show, in my opinion) got some laughs out of me, but not in an obvious way.  I also enjoyed Paula Patton, who isn't just there as a love interest for one of the other male leads.  That girl kicks some serious butt.  And, of course, there's Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt.  What can I say about him that hasn't been said?  He's Tom Cruise, and he's playing a character that he's played three times before.  He doesn't seem to take himself too seriously, and he's still a romantic at the heart of it all.
     Go see this movie if you want to lose yourself in a bunch of action and crazy spy work.  It's worth your Christmas dollar in my opinion.  Don't take it too seriously, because it doesn't take itself too seriously.  It is what it is.

At the Movies: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

     Guy Ritchie knows cool.  Okay, I know I'm not the most qualified person to talk about Guy Ritchie.  The Sherlock Holmes movies are the only movies I've seen of his.  Don't judge.  Anyway...Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law re-team to take down Professor Moriarty.  Once again the plot is slightly confusing, but that's not important, is it?
     The action/fight scenes in this movie are pretty close to perfect.  There are just enough in the movie to where they're not overwhelming, and they keep the story from lagging.  Just when you're thinking I'm about to get bored, you're suddenly sitting on the edge of your seat, wondering if the good guys are going to make it or not.  If you've seen the first Guy Ritchie Sherlock, you are acquainted with the style he uses in which Sherlock plans out his means of attack in slow motion, then does them in real time.  It's just so flippin' cool.  I don't know the technical terms for any of these things, but the scene where the gang is running through the forest, away from the bullets and missiles, is the best in the movie.  The way Ritchie depicts it is awesome.
     The music is another aspect of this movie that adds to its greatness.  It starts with the trailer.  The music coincides perfectly with the typewriter-ish spelling of Sherlock Holmes.  Throughout the movie, the different music sets the pace perfectly, and it meshes with the people in the scene.  When Noomi Rapace and her band of gypsies are on screen, the music keeps with that whimsical theme.  When you're hoping the good guys will make it through intact, the music keeps your heart racing.
     The chemistry that Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have is rare from what I have seen.  You really believe that they are Sherlock and Watson, men who have spent a great deal of time together and know each other as well as they know themselves.  They seem to really enjoy the work they are doing, and that comes through the screen.  Plus, Robert Downey Jr. is pretty much can't miss these days, and Jude Law as Watson is one of my favorite roles of his. 
     Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is one of those movies that just makes me feel like it's Christmas-time.  It's the perfect blockbuster for the holidays if you are craving a fun, intense flick.  Hope you enjoy!

Guy Movies Girls Can Like Too: Man on Fire

     If you don't care for action movies, one look at the cover will have you walking right past Man on Fire on the shelf at a movie rental store (if you even still rent movies the old-fashioned way).  It features Denzel Washington looking all Denzel-y walking away from something that is seriously ablaze.  You may think who wants to watch another movie for guys where all they do is blow stuff up.  You have, sadly, missed the point because standing behind Denzel's protective stance is a young, adorable Dakota Fanning.  Are you intrigued yet?  If not, you will be when you realize Denzel is Dakota's bodyguard, and her nickname for him is "Creasy Bear". 
     Denzel is hired by Pita's (Dakota Fanning) parents, Radha Mitchell and Marc Anthony, to protect her.  He has become very skeptical and cynical about life and love, meaning no one can get past his tough exterior to what will hopefully be a gooey, warm and fuzzy center.  Adorable little Pita has to try, though, because Creasy is basically the only friend she has.  Sheltered from many things and practically ignored by her parents (especially Dad) Pita and Creasy are together all of the time.  He is her driver, but soon he becomes more.  He teaches her how to become a better swimmer, winning races, and before you know it, Creasy's heart is starting to shine through the tough exterior.
     Things can't go on this way forever.  Through some extremely sad and shady circumstances Creasy is on the hunt for the missing, presumed-to-be-dead Pita.  He takes no prisoners, and he does not care how far he has to go to save Pita.  The questions are can she be saved, and will she be saved?  Well, you'll just have to trust me and check it out for yourself.  Creasy does make the ultimate sacrifice for the little girl that he has grown to love. 
     If you are not crying at the end of this movie, you might want to make sure you still have a pulse.  Man on Fire is a man's movie, no doubt about that.  It's violent and gory and hard, but girls will love it too.  It is Denzel Washington, you know.  Who doesn't love Denzel?  And who doesn't love to see a man who has been hardened by his tough life yet still able to love someone under his care?  This is definitely a must see for any movie fan.   

At the Movies: New Year's Eve

     This past weekend, I took in Garry Marshall's latest fun flick meshing several love stories, New Year's Eve.  Now, if you've seen Valentine's Day, you've pretty much seen this one.  New Year's Eve tended to bring on the waterworks with me, though, which is a plus in my book.  This movie has as many big names as Valentine's Day, but it also had a couple of surprising cameos.  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure most of the couple pairings, but there are a couple that may surprise you.
     Yes, Zac Efron is in this movie.  If you read my other posts, you know I'm a big Zac Efron fan.  His storyline with Michelle Pfeiffer was probably my favorite, and their age gap was not the one that was the most bothersome to me, especially considering their tale isn't exactly a love story.  Let me just say without spoiling it for those of you who haven't seen it, another couple's age gap is about 17 years.  The other confusing couple just has a 7 year age gap, but they just didn't go together in my opinion. 
     Robert de Niro's story almost sent me into the ugly cry as did Sarah Jessica Parker's and Abigail Breslin's.  Most of it is pretty by-the-book.  Yes, Lea Michele will be singing, and Zac Efron will be dancing.  Yes, Katherine Heigl will be stuffing her face at some point and Sofia Vergara will be captivating as a sexy woman you can hardly understand.  It's not exactly Oscar material, folks.  If you're looking for fun and looking to laugh, New Year's Eve is a good bet.

Movies That Scare Me to Death: Paranormal Activity

     You've probably heard of this one, but I still think it deserves to be talked about.  The Blair Witch Project wasn't very frightening to me except for about ten minutes out of the whole thing, but Paranormal Activity makes my pulse race no matter how many times I watch it.  It's another one of those that I can't even attempt to watch with the lights off.  Shot in home movie style and featuring unknown actors, this movie made it seem like this could happen to anyone, even your next door neighbors.
     Who among us hasn't scared ourselves by imagining that every noise in our house is caused by something like an intruder or a ghost only to realize it's the faucet dripping or the house settling?  This isn't the case for poor Katie and Micah.  They set up a camera to see if they can find any video evidence of the supernatural thing Katie believes is bothering them.  Of course Micah thinks it's all funny, something he can defeat once he faces it head on.  Katie, however, has dealt with this before, and she becomes scared to death of it.  From Ouija boards to swinging chandaliers, footprints left in powder to shadows on the wall, Paranormal Activity keeps the frights coming.
     Director  Oren Peli knows how to give just enough scares without making the viewer numb to each new terror that comes along.  As you watch the clock on the camera speed up and then slow down you know you better pay close attention...or close your eyes depending on how easily scared you may be.  If you want to be truly scared and haven't seen Paranormal Activity yet, I definitely recommend it.  After viewing, you may want to set up a camera in your bedroom as well...just to make sure your loved ones aren't watching you sleep.

Confessions of a 26-Year-Old: I Love High School Musical

     Okay, so if you're doing the math, I wasn't even in high school when the first High School Musical premiered.  That doesn't mean I can't enjoy it, does it?  Also, I'm sure a lot of my love for the three movies have something to do with the adorableness of Zac Efron.  What's wrong with that?  Anyway, for those of you who don't know, there are three High School Musical movies, the third of which came out on the big screen. 
     I love these movies because they show high school in a fun, positive way.  The first one especially shows that you can be friends with anyone, even someone who isn't in your clique.  Zac Efron as Troy and Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella show the "jocks" and "nerds" can be friends and even fall in love!  And they can do it all while singing and dancing enthusiastically down the halls of high school.  While their friends try to keep them apart in the beginning, they eventuallly see that what Troy and Gabriella are trying to accomplish is a good thing, and everybody lives happily ever after.  The second and third movies are more of the same while including such teen issues as summer jobs and what comes after high school.
     Many people compared this High School Musical craze (see Wal-Mart school supplies if you don't believe me) to Grease.  All I have to say about that is that the only thing these movies have in common is that they're both musicals.  Grease was a 1978 movie that was not made for kids while High School Musical took place almost twenty years later on the Disney channel.  If you haven't realized that the Disney channel doesn't exactly portray things as they happen in the real world, then you've got big problems.  Who doesn't enjoy breaking from reality every now and again to watch such flicks as 16 Wishes and Geek Charming (other recent Disney favorites of mine)? 
     I know that I should probably be enjoying those crazy Lifetime movies or Hallmark holiday feel-good movies, and I do.  However, sometimes you've just got to go back to high school.  I actually enjoyed high school, unlike most other people.  Why wouldn't I want to remember it fondly?  Of course, my high school experience didn't include quite as much singing and dancing, but a girl can dream.